


Never Let Me Go

by innercove



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-11 11:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7048192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innercove/pseuds/innercove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sheba had managed to grab Solomon’s attention, showing him that she is no longer the little girl he rescued. Now they’re finally courting, but she begins to learn new things about the young magician. From his quirks and interests to his mysterious past, Sheba will do her best to reach out and hold onto the man she swore to love for the rest of her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 0

Never Let Me Go Chapter 0

Sheba sat on a wooden bench outside the dining hall, her hands folded together on top of her lap. Her mind reeled through what happened earlier that day.

_I believe that Solomon’s strength will turn this world into a brighter place. If there’s anyone who forgot about what this person has done and is still suspicious of him, stand in front of me!!_

“I guess I really did say all that…” Sheba mused. She understood where the other species came from, and she couldn’t stand another magician tarnish Solomon’s name. All of that came out in a mad rush, like a surging energy that blew from her body. It was a different kind of magic, and she was happy to prove herself to Solomon.

Her cheeks turned a shade of pink when she remembered Solomon’s reaction. His initial surprise that transformed into genuine respect towards her made her heart melt. He wouldn’t look down on her, and they watched the sunset before returning back home. At dinner, however, Solomon was talking with the others as if nothing happened. Sheba tried to grab his attention, but she ended up stress eating due to his heartless cold shoulder. 

“Maybe we’re not a couple after all,” Sheba sighed, feeling embarrassed for even thinking she had a chance. Solomon must have strong feelings for Arba, and their relationship was just too impenetrable. Arba was supposed to help her, but nothing was working. 

“Who said that?” A deep, familiar voice crossed her thoughts. Sheba looked up and saw Solomon standing next to her. His dark blue, braided hair dangled past his shoulders, tussled. She yelped and jumped out of her seat.

“Wh-Who?”

Solomon nods, feigning ignorance. 

Sheba stammered to answer, her cheeks having turned to a bright apple red. Solomon smiled, a glint of amusement crossing his expression. He placed one hand on his hip as he leaned forward. Sheba’s eyes widened when she realized how close their faces were.

“No one said we’re  _not_  a couple.”

Sheba stared at Solomon, her mouth agape. It took her a minute to shake herself out of her trance; she looked down to hide her heated cheeks. Solomon reached down and gently lifted Sheba’s chin upward. He looked into her eyes, his amusement switched with something different. Sheba couldn’t quite figure out if he was searching for something in her expression or if he, too, was awestricken. She guessed it was the former.

“Then again, no one really said that we’re a couple, either.” Solomon whispered and pulled back, much to Sheba’s disappointment. “I have to go and meet with Ugo.”

“You can’t just say all that and then leave! Ugo can wait!” 

“Isn’t it your bedtime?”

“I thought you said you were going to stop looking down on me!” Sheba crossed her arms and scowled. “I’m a big girl, remember!”

“Right. A big girl with a big appetite.”

Sheba pulled back to punch Solomon in the chest, but shakily restrained herself. Solomon chuckled and placed his hand on top of her head.

“I’m sorry,” Solomon said. “We can talk in the morning, how’s that?”

Sheba looked up, expecting Solomon to leave without waiting for her answer. To her pleasant surprise, he waited for her answer. Sheba’s lips turned upward.

“Yeah, I would like that.”

Solomon returned her smile with his own and soundlessly walked down the tiled halls. Sheba watched him leave. In the past, she always wandered in his shadows and admired the light he radiated. The path she followed was the path Solomon led her on, and she felt like she could trust him to lead her to a better place. In a way, Solomon had already created a better world, but their mission was far from complete. With David still out there, their resistance needed to be ready. 

 _Soon_ , Sheba thought.  _This conflict will end. I will protect Solomon from those who stand against him…_

* * *

 

“So how did it go with Sheba?” Ugo looked up from his papers. Solomon sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“For once, I don’t know what to say to her.”

“Sure you do.” Ugo tilted his head to the side. “You saw the way she defended you.”

Solomon remembered how Sheba slammed the end of her wand into the ground. She stood defiant as she called to the other clans, her voice filled with confidence. He sensed something shift in her, or perhaps it was something that shifted inside  _him_. Sheba’s declaration to protect him, and to tell him that everything will be alright, resounded in him in a way he was still trying to comprehend. He knew she loved him, and he knew how much she wanted his attention. Was he, however, willing to make that step forward to say the same? To feel the same towards her? 

“You need to stop seeing her as a little kid, Solomon.” Ugo handed him a book on his desk. 

“I know. It’s just.. I want to protect her still. She says she will protect me, but I’d just bring more danger to her.” Solomon sighed as he flipped carelessly through the book. “I don’t know what would happen if I lost her.”

Ugo stared at Solomon for a moment before cracking a bright smile. “Your need to protect her shows how much you care for her. Maybe you should see where it takes you.”

Solomon looked up. He pictured Sheba waiting for him at the market, fidgeting around with her wand in hand. Her pink locks would be neatly brushed and braided on her sides. She would look around, expecting him to appear from thin air when she least expected it. 

Solomon murmured, “Perhaps I should get her a gift or…”

“Hm?”

“Nothing. By the way, what was the book you just gave me?”

Solomon’s attention was split between Ugo’s eagerness of the new research he handed him and over his newfound feelings towards Sheba. He needed to take some more time to figure this whole thing out.

 


	2. Chapter 1

Never Let Me Go Chapter 1

Solomon followed two girls to a large garden near the farms. He had decided to get up early to prepare his gift for Sheba, but he had no clue what to get her. Arba and the others were still asleep, so he took it upon himself to search for something meaningful. Eventually, he decided to pick out his own flowers from the garden and hand them to Sheba. The girls had offered to lead Solomon there, since they were going to help their mother prepare the stand at the market. 

The garden expanded for several acres, and was properly fenced off to keep the land separate from the farmland. Other women were in the garden, tending to the flowers and bushes that lined the pathway. Everyone looked up and bowed their head towards Solomon. Some offered him flowers, but he politely rejected them. He knew that they were offering the flowers in a way a commoner would offer something to a king. He didn’t need that; not now, not ever. Solomon reached a part of the garden where several flowers were in full bloom. Red, purple, yellow, and hues of different colored petals painted over the greenery. Solomon knelt in front of one flower. It was a small, pink flower with two or three layers of wide petals. He took a whiff, taking in the sweet fragrance. Solomon stood up and turned to a nearby woman.

“Do you have more of this?” Solomon pointed to the pink flower. The woman walked over and knelt by the flower. She hummed.

“I think this is the only flower we have that’s blooming, Lord Solomon.”

“I see.” Solomon rubbed the back of his neck. “Can I have that one, then?”

“Of course. Is it for someone special?”

Solomon only smiled in reply. The woman carefully took the flower from it’s home and got it ready. Solomon watched as she nipped the extra leaves on the stem. Before she could put it in a vase, Solomon stopped her.

“No vase.”

The woman nodded and handed the flower to Solomon. He held the stem between his thin fingers and twirled the flower in a slow, careful manner. He could easily make more flowers bloom, but this one.. This one was special. Solomon took a deep breath and looked up towards the city. Sheba would be waiting for him, and he pictured how she would respond to his gift. He smiled to himself and made his way towards the market square.

* * *

 

Sheba stared at her reflection in front of the mirror once more. She had checked her outfit, her hair, and her general appearance at least a dozen times already but she had to be absolutely certain she looked decent. Sheba placed her hands on her hips and sucked her stomach in. Her cheeks puffed up as she held her breath. 

“You need to breath at some point during your date.” Behind her, Arba leaned against the doorway. Sheba yelped and turned around. 

“Why do all of you scare me like that? Is it a trait the resistance has?”

“It is a good trait to learn how to sneak around undetected,” Arba approached Sheba and placed her hand on top of her head. “You’re going to be fine, Sheba.”

Sheba blushed and looked down. “I’m nervous. What do I do from here?”

“You enjoy yourself, of course. Solomon is a good man, and he needs you. Remember what I said before, and the promise you made with me.”

Sheba looked back up, staring into Arba’s kind eyes. She had a genuine, pleasant vibe that was almost motherly. Finally, Sheba found her words.

“I will protect Solomon, and I will always be on his ally. No matter what.”

Arba nodded, feeling reassured. “Good. Now, lets get you ready for your big day.”

Arba helped Sheba in a comfortable attire and braided her hair. Sheba looked at herself from the mirror and this time, she felt confident she would do well.  _I’m going to make sure Solomon doesn’t regret choosing me._

Arba walked Sheba out of the compound, her silent company calming Sheba’s nerves. When they arrived at the entrance of the market square, Arba looked at Sheba.

“You’re going to be fine. Go out there and remember to have fun.”

Sheba nodded and took a deep breath.  _You can do this_. She walked down the steps and made her way to the market square. Humans and other species wandered the square. There was still some tension and hostility, especially after rumors had started to spread of the other magicians taking advantage of the situation for their gain. But being so close to the center of the resistance, many of the beings in the market square kept a more jubilant vibe. Sheba greeted those she passed by; it was becoming second nature to her to greet everyone with kindness. Normally, she would be with Solomon when she did this, but she had to prove to herself that she could handle these duties, too. 

At the center of the market place was a large fountain where most of the social gatherings took place. Today, Sheba used it as a landmark for Solomon to find her. She sat on the edge of the fountain, her hands folded on her lap. She looked around, wondering if Solomon would be able to actually see her. While Sheba never openly admitted it.. There was no refuting that she was short compared to everyone else. It was becoming a running joke that Tess may actually beat her in terms of height, and she couldn’t help but grumble at that. Of course, she could easily use magic to make herself taller but she wanted “nature” to take it’s due course. Magic was good for many things, but she didn’t have to use it for everything. 

Still. Sheba was short, and with all the species wandering the market place, there was no guarantee she would be seen.  _Maybe I should stand up instead_. Sheba nodded to herself as she lifted herself on the fountain’s edge. She placed her hands on her hips and looked around. It took her a second to realize that standing up on the fountain’s ledge did nothing but lift her up maybe a few inches from the ground. She pouted and crunched her mind to find something that would get Solomon’s attention. Granted, she wasn’t sure if the leader of the resistance was even here. The option to just call for him was also plausible, but that was too embarrassing. She didn’t need the entire base knowing that she was on a date with Solomon.

An hour passed and Sheba felt her legs grow weary from standing. She sighed and crossed her arms.  _Maybe Solomon forgot about talking to me this morning. He is a busy person…_

From the crowd, a young human boy was running with a bag of goodies. He looked back, as if he was trying to run away from something. Sheba looked up last minute and saw an old woman running after the boy, waving a stick towards him. She didn’t have enough time to avoid the boy running into her, and Sheba fell into the fountain with a loud splash. The crowd gasped, and when Sheba resurfaced, the boy was spluttering apologies. 

“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please, I didn’t mean–”

“You!” The old woman grabbed the boy’s ear and twisted it painfully to the side. The boy cried out as he was forcefully dragged out of the fountain. “Do you have any respect for your elderly?”

“You don’t get it, I was just–”

“Shut it!”

Sheba gently took the old woman’s hand. “Please let this boy go. I’ll pay back what he stole.”

“Ah!” The woman jumped back, startled to see a dripping wet Sheba. “T-Thank you, Lady Sheba, but things are a little different…”

“It can’t be that different, right?” Sheba smiled before turning back to the fountain. Potatoes floated and drifted towards the center. “I’m sorry for what happened. I’ll go and get the potatoes for you.”

“Lady Sheba, you don’t have to.”

Without another word, Sheba jumped back into the fountain and began bringing the potatoes closer to her. The white sack floated towards the edge, so she waded back and returned the potatoes back inside. When Sheba pulled herself out of the water, the boy’s ear had been freed from the iron grip. She handed the boy the sack.

“I’m sorry they got wet. But I hope you can make use of them somehow.”

The boy nodded sheepishly. “Th-Thank you.” He hurried away, probably embarrassed that he had created such a ruckus. 

“I’ll make sure to pay you back soon, ma’am.” Sheba smiled. “Can you show me your stall?”

“Sheba.”

Sheba stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Solomon approach her. She opened her mouth to say something but Solomon was in front of her in two strides. He looked down.

“What happened?” He whispered.

“I– Oh!” Sheba’s face turned bright red as she tried to cover herself up. She was soaking wet, and no doubt the white fabric was showing through. Sheba hadn’t even thought about that when she was helping that boy, but with Solomon standing in front of her, she was on full, self-conscious alert. “I was helping someone. No big deal.”

Sheba turned to find the old woman, but she had disappeared.  _Damn it, she must’ve ran away when Solomon arrived._

Solomon reached down, and she thought he would touch her chin again like last night. However, he placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close. He smelled like a freshly bloomed flower from the gardens.

“You can tell me when we get back to the compound.” He looked around, watching as the crowd quietly dispersed to give privacy. Solomon’s grip tightened on Sheba’s shoulder, like he was protecting her from curious stares. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier.”

“Y-You don’t have to be sorry. I’m glad you came, though.”

Solomon didn’t say anything as his hand moved from her shoulder to her hand. He held onto her and led her back to the compound in silence. Sheba was certain he wasn’t mad at her, but she wondered if he was mad at himself. When she looked down, she noticed an array of multicolored flowers on his other hand. In the middle was a single pink flower with three layered petals. Sheba smiled.

“The flowers are pretty.”

“They’re for you.”

Sheba was taken aback at how upfront he was. No jokes, no sarcasm, no rude comment. She blinked and waited for something to follow, but Solomon was quick to take her back to the safety of the compound without saying a word. When they arrived, Solomon handed her off to Arba.

Arba’s eyes widened when she saw Sheba. “What happened?”

“A boy was running away from one of the vendors and he accidentally bumped into me at the fountain. But it’s okay, I’m fine.” Sheba said.

Solomon crossed his arms and kept his gaze at the wall. Arba and Sheba looked at him, expecting some kind of response. Solomon blinked and looked at the two. A heartbeat later, Solomon handed Sheba the flowers.

“I’ll be right back. Arba, can you..?”

Arba nodded in understanding towards Solomon.

“Wait,” Sheba stepped towards Solomon. “Where are you going?”

“You said you were going to pay back that woman? If I remember right, you have no money.”

“I– Wait!” Sheba frowned and stomped her foot. “You don’t have to pay her back for me! I can do it–”

“Like I said, you’re broke.” Solomon placed his hand on top of Sheba’s head. “I’ll finish taking care of the matter for you, and then I’ll be back. I promise.”

Solomon didn’t give Sheba time to retort. He walked past her and made his way back to the market. Sheba looked down at the flowers and pressed them against her chest as she watched Solomon disappear from her sight.

 


	3. Never Let Me Go Chapter 2

Sheba carefully pulled her hair ties out as she untangled the wet strands with her fingers. Arba sat on Sheba’s bed, watching in silence. A few minutes passed before Sheba looked up at herself in the mirror. She had taken several steps to prepare herself for the moment Solomon would see her as someone to be taken seriously. Instead, he found her dripping wet in front of a crowd of refugees. Sheba remembered how Solomon pulled her to his chest. He smelled like the gardens, fresh with blooming flowers and wild grasses. 

Oddly, Sheba didn’t feel upset. She didn’t regret helping that boy, and she wished she could’ve done more for him. 

“Let me help you out of those clothes,” Arba said as she stood. Sheba nodded wordlessly as she peeled off the fabrics. Her gold and ruby jewels were placed on the vanity and she found a towel to dry herself. Arba went back to sit on the edge of bed. 

“You did a good thing, Sheba. You shouldn’t regret it.”

“I know,” Sheba grabbed her white dress from the trunk and slipped it on. “I have no regrets. I...”

There was a knock on the door.

“Are you, like, okay, aru?” Falan called out from behind the door. Sheba hurried over and opened the door.

“I’m okay!” Sheba smiled sheepishly.

“I heard that you tripped on the, like, fountain, aru? Are you sure you’re okay, aru?” Falan placed her hand on Sheba’s forehead. 

“I’m not a baby anymore!” Sheba’s cheeks turned a fade of pink as she tried to push Falan’s hand away. Arba and Falan laughed.

“Us women have to stick together,” Arba stood up from the bed and approached them with light footsteps. “And we’ll always worry about you, Sheba.”

“You’re, like, our baby, aru. Not including Tess.” Falan said.

“Where  _is_  Tess, Falan?” Arba arched an eyebrow.

“Sleeping with his papa, aru. Now my breasts can, like, take a break, aru.”

Sheba smiled and wondered if she’d be a good mother like Falan. Even though it wasn’t a top priority, she did fancy the idea of having a child. 

“Those are cute, aru,” Falan pointed out the flowers that were on Sheba’s bedside table. 

“Yeah.. Solomon gave them to me.”

“He did, aru?”

“He has good tastes,” Arba added. “I honestly didn’t expect him to take the time to find them.”

Sheba blushed. She didn’t think too much into the flowers, mostly so she didn’t get her hopes too high. But if the gesture wasn’t a normal occurrence, maybe she was special in his eyes. Sheba wondered if Solomon regretted it now.  _No, don’t think like that! I need to wait to meet with him._

* * *

 

Solomon walked through the busy streets of the base. His eyes searched the crowd, looking for that particular old woman. Sheba had done her part to protect a boy while offering to pay back to the vendor. Solomon smiled to himself. Sheba had grown from a frightened, selfish, cruel being to a mature, selfless, nurturing woman. How did he wait this long to finally admit that to himself?

Eventually, Solomon found the elder sitting front of a wooden table. Despite her age, she had firm muscles from her waist up. From the walking cane beside her, however, Solomon wondered if she sustained an injury in her legs that weakened her lower half.

“Lord Solomon!” The old woman bowed her head as she prepared to stand.

“Please, stay seated.” Solomon reached out and gently pushed the woman back down. “I am here to return payment for the potatoes that were stolen. I’m sure Sheba had mentioned it to you, but she’s not feeling well right now. I came here in her stead.”

“I was worried when she fell into that fountain. But you don’t need to pay back,” The old woman smiled, but her gaze showed a history of sadness and pain. “My children have fought with you, Lord Solomon, and they are very proud. And if it wasn’t for Lady Sheba, my daughter would’ve died in the most recent mission she went on. I owe it to her, and of course to you for training her.”

“Sheba trained herself,” Solomon crossed his arms. “I may have guided her, but she created the magic she uses in battle. She trained and studied day in, day out. When everyone is asleep, she is in the training room fighting invisible enemies in front of her. She rightfully earned her nickname as Eight Headed Defensive Wall magician.”

The old woman smiled. “Lady Sheba is an incredible magician.”

“She is.” Solomon paused. “I have a proposition, elder. I hope you listen to it well.”

* * *

 

“You can do better than that!” Arba called out as Sheba swung her staff at her. They clashed and Arba was pushed back a few inches. Sheba clenched her jaw as she entered a barrage of attacks towards Arba, but the other dodged nimbly. Suddenly, Sheba was on the ground and Arba stood above her. She slammed the end of her staff only inches beside Sheba’s face.

“You’re distracted.” Arba held her hand out. Sheba blew a strand of hair out of her face as she took Arba’s hand.

“I’m just worried about Solomon. He hasn’t came back yet. Where could he be, anyway?” Sheba huffed. “Maybe I really did ruin it.”

Arba smiled and pulled Sheba up. “Come, lets go another round.”

Sheba twirled her staff and prepared herself when both women saw Ugo come inside. He blinked, startled at the serious expression Arba and Sheba had on.

“Am I--”

Arba was the first to soften her expression. “Do you need anything Ugo?”

“Oh, yes, I was looking for you, Arba. I wanted to go over something for your mission tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving?” Sheba relaxed, secretly relieved that she could take a break from sparring.

“I am. I’m taking squadron six and eight with me to one of the territories the church has domination over.”

Sheba nodded as Ugo and Arba left together. She wondered if Solomon had been busy getting briefed for missions that he had forgotten to meet with her. Several hours had passed since the incident at the plaza, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Sheba inhaled deeply, held it in for a second, and exhaled through her nose.  _Alright, I’m ready._

Sheba focused and felt a familiar power grow inside her. With her staff held in front of her, she pulled on the threads of power until she was making a weave of magic. Her borg surrounded her and then--

She gasped and opened her eyes. Her borg shattered before her and Sheba fell on her knees.  _No, I didn’t do it right. I missed that step. I have to feel it or else it just won’t work!_

Sheba clenched her jaw and stood back up. She held her staff with both hands. If the others were getting stronger, she needed to catch up. An image of Solomon popped in her mind and she found her resolve.

“I must get stronger,” She told herself.

“You do.” Solomon was leaning against the doorway. Sheba pointed her staff at him, startled.

“You need to stop doing that!” 

“You need to learn to sense someone’s presence instead of getting startled all the time.”

“How long have you been here?”

“A few minutes.”

Sheba puffed out her cheeks, embarrassed that he had seen her. Solomon approached her and took her hand.

“You must be tired. Let’s get dinner.”

“Us? As in... You and...” Sheba’s face turned an apple red. “T-That would be great! Let’s go!”

Solomon smiled and he led the way out of the training room.

 


	4. Never Let Me Go Chapter 3

Sheba chewed her bottom lip she followed Solomon through the large, pristine walls of their headquarters. They walked through multiple corridors, passing by different servants and magicians as they went. Sheba had explored many parts of the large compound in the past five years, but she didn’t recognize this area at all. For a moment, Sheba wondered if Solomon had used the time to suddenly create a new section of the compound. It wasn’t exactly realistic, but she still kept it as a possibility. 

They continued walking in silence, their hands intertwined in the space between them. Eventually, Solomon stopped in front of two, chocolate brown doors. He released Sheba’s hand as he turned to look at her.

“Close your eyes.”

Sheba blinked. “What?”

“Close your eyes.”

“Why? What’s over there?”

“Just trust me,” He smiled. Sheba glanced away, flustered, and closed her eyes. She could hear the doors open, and Solomon gently took her hand. She could hear the soft sound of a water fountain as it spouts gently from the middle and back into the pond around it. The floor beneath her gold slippers felt bumpy, like she was stepping on smoothed over rocks. She could smell something sweet in the air, and she sniffed curiously.

Solomon came to a halt. “You can open your eyes.”

Sheba obliged and she gasped. They were underneath a dark, wooden gazebo with colorful lanterns hanging along the sides. Large and medium patterned pillows littered the floor, and in the middle was a low, wooden table. Bowls of fruits and glazed nuts and dishes of grilled fishes were part of the entries to choose from. Bottles of wine were at the edge, adding the finishing touch. Sheba glanced back and saw that the pathway was lit up by lanterns. The large bushes were coated in black, but some had spots of yellow and pink that were lit up from the lanterns. The two medium sized fountains added the serene sound of water being poured back into it’s puddle. 

“Solomon, this is.. Amazing..”

Solomon smiled and helped Sheba up onto the gazebo. They sat across from each other, but Sheba was still soaking in the sight before her. 

“How did you even do all of this?” Sheba pointed to the lanterns, then to the food, then grabbed onto one of the pillows. 

“I had some help getting this all together for you. I’m glad you like it.”

Sheba squeezed the pillow. “This.. Is a dream, right? I mean, this--” Her cheeks flushed under Solomon’s quizzical expression. “Nevermind. I guess I’m just still wrapping my mind over all of this.”

Solomon had bent one leg up, close to his chest, as he watched Sheba take everything in. “As am I.”

“Huh?”

“You’re not the only one who’s wrapping their mind around everything,” Solomon looked up, his eyes pointed towards a red lantern behind Sheba. “I never pictured myself with someone like you.”

Sheba frowned and looked down. She wondered if Solomon’s ideal woman was Arba; after all, she was perfect. She had the stunning looks, the powerful skills of a magician, and the personality of a kindhearted mother. Not only that, but Arba had known Solomon since he was a boy. What kind of secrets were locked away that only Arba had access to? Despite this, Sheba shook off the doubt. It wasn’t her place to think like that, especially on their first date. She looked back up with a smile.

“I am a little different, right?”

“I think that’s an understatement. You’re kind of weird.”

Sheba scowled and threw the pillow at him without thinking. Solomon caught it, but he was laughing. Sheba relaxed when she realized that Solomon looked.. relaxed. She had seen him smile many times before, but there was something different about his smile this time. He looked more at ease, and he appeared genuinely intrigued with Sheba’s quirks. Solomon was truly seeing her in a new light, and Sheba couldn’t help but burst out in a bright grin. 

“Lets eat!” Sheba said, trying to get more conversation going through food. Solomon gestured his hand out towards the food.

“Help yourself. The old woman helped make some of this.”

“Old wo-- WHAT?” Sheba dropped one of the grapes back into the bowl and slammed her hand onto the table. “Why would you do that? I thought you were paying her back!”

“I did. I found someone who could help her regain strength in her lower extremities. Apparently, she was a powerful magician who has been supporting the resistance for years and she wanted to do something more. Her children are actually in the squadrons you command. She wanted to pay you back after you saved one of them during one of your battles,” Solomon leaned forward. “You’ve made a difference to someone’s life.”

Sheba was flustered and she rubbed the back of her neck. “R-Really? I’m glad.. I just didn’t think she’d go through all this trouble for me, for us.”

“You’re giving people hope. ”

Sheba’s cheeks had turned a bright red. She was speechless; what else could she say? Solomon was praising her, and she wasn’t sure if she was used to it yet. To make up for her embarrassing expression, Sheba proceeded to stuff her mouth with food in quick succession. Solomon chuckled.

The night drew on, and Sheba found herself talking quite a bit. She told Solomon about a clan of species she saw on one of her missions and how she was able to persuade them to join the resistance. Some parts may have been a little exaggerated, but Solomon saw through it and corrected her. They joked around and the garden was filled with laughter. The lanterns glowed different colors throughout the night, giving off a different aura throughout their date. Sheba liked the Solomon who smiled and joked around. She always pictured him as the scolding, overprotective figure who never let her out of his sights. She knew that it was his way of making sure she was safe, but it always got on her nerves. Now, Solomon was starting to show his lighthearted side; it was the side that many of his friends had talked about in the past. 

They had nearly finished their meal when they heard the double doors open several feet away. Solomon’s grin slowly turned into a neutral expression and Sheba turned around. One of the messengers was running towards Solomon with a parcel in his hand. He stopped in front of the gazebo.

“Lord Solomon, we’ve gotten new information on another tower,” The messenger panted between words. “It’s not good.”

“I see,” Solomon rose with grace and looked at Sheba with an apologetic expression. “I need to go.”

Sheba waved her hand and smiled. “It’s okay, they need you.”

Solomon nodded, but he hesitated. Sheba stared into Solomon’s perceptive, sapphire eyes; she wondered if he could sense her slight disappointment that their date was interrupted. However, when the resistance needed him, Solomon was the first to run and save the day. It was his duty, almost. Sheba watched as Solomon hurried back into the compound with the messenger, his dark blue locks swaying behind him. Sheba looked back at the table before she found herself lying down against the plump pillows. The lanterns slowly turned into a heavy blue, and Sheba couldn’t agree more with the shade. 

Sheba closed her eyes, relaying the dream over and over in her head. There was a moment where their fingers grazed together and she felt like there was an electric current running through her veins. Did Solomon feel the same way? 

Was this the feeling of love?


End file.
